APRIL 2020
COMPLIMENTARY
LOCAL MEDICAL FACILITIES GUIDE
GROWLEY LEATHER
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Faith & Family
O U R M I SSION
Contributing Writers: Rachel Cruze John Wilson Pastor Della Knox
Art Director: Chris Taylor Sales and Marketing: Chris Taylor, Laurie Stroud Cover and Cover Story Images: Growley Leather Bay Area Christian Family s published monthly in Mobile & Baldwin counties by Bay Area Christian Family, P.O. Box 834 Grand Bay, AL 36541. The phone number is 251-300-9800. Reproduction of any part of Bay Area Christian Family without permission of the publisher is prohibited. Distribution of this magazine does not constitute an endorsement of information, products or services. Views expressed in Bay Area Christian Family do not necessarily represent those of the publisher. Every effort has been made by Bay Area Christian Family staff to insure accuracy of the publication contents. However, we do not guarantee the accuracy of all information nor the absence of errors and omissions; hence, no responsibility can be or is assumed. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2020 by Bay Area Christian Family. Unless otherwise noted, scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of International Bible Society. Circulation & Distribution: 10,000 copies of Bay Area Christian Family are printed each month. Bay Area Christian Family is free and available at targeted high traffic locations in Mobile and Baldwin counties. Subscription service offered for $5/month: www.patreon.com/christianbayarea
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CALL: (251) 300-9800
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Owner/Editor: Chris Taylor chris@christianbayarea.com (251)300-9800 Bay Area Christian Family www.christianbayarea.com
James Chinners Chef Lucy Greer Josh Farmer Dave Ramsey
Bay Area Christian Family exists to provide Christians and the YEAR at large with ways to grow and develop as a part of NTYcommunity WE the Bay Area’s Christian Family. The local publication is designed to promote positive living by sharing with readers the latest news on entertainment, healthy living, parenting and inspirational literature as well as what individuals and organizations are doing to try to address the needs of the family.
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is a part of The Christian Family Publication, Inc., celebrating 20 years of Good News
TH E
E D ITO R
Being a business owner we rely heavily on our customers and they have grown to be our extended family. So to your customers and mine: There couldn’t be a better TIME in recent history to share about the lives of small business owners other than now. First and foremost WE WILL SACRIFICE. We did it to open our businesses, we do it to keep the doors open to our businesses, and we will do it again without hesitation. We are used to it, it is common for us to sacrifice because we do it daily and small businesses know when it is that time as Ecclesiastes 3 says, “A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away” Second, WE WILL GET EMOTIONAL. Our business is our life. We dream about it, we hope, grind, cry, bleed, sweat, and even get a little crazy at times, because we love what we do. It is not something we shut off at 5pm. We can’t, if we did we would fail. It is constantly on our minds how we can better serve you. As Ecclesiastes 3:4 says, “A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance,” on occasion those times all come within a 24 hour period.
to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up.” We know how to hunt, if we didn’t we wouldn’t be in small business but the hunt brings some hurt and thus we need to heal. Maybe we have to downsize or breakdown or maybe it’s a time to build up and step out on faith. Regardless, we will get through this. Why? Because we live out 1 Corinthians 13:7 “Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” Because WE LOVE YOU!
Lastly, WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS. Ecclesiastes 3:3 says, “A time to kill, and a time
A BOUT
TH E
Blessings, Chris Taylor Bay Area Christian Family
E DITOR - I N - C H I EF
Chris Taylor, Owner of Bay Area Christian Family resides in Grand Bay, Ala and has been married to his wife Nicole, for 13 years and they have two children, Truett age 7 and Tag age 5. Chris received a Bachelor of Science from the University of South Alabama in 2008 and a Masters of Christian Ministry from Liberty University in 2012. Along with the Bay Area Christian Family, Chris owns and operates another publication focused on
South Mobile County called The Connection Paper and owns and operates a party rental company CC’s Inflatables based in Theodore, Ala. Chris is a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, formally as a youth pastor, and now currently as a speaker and entrepreneur. For more information on Bay Area Christian Family, contact Chris at (251) 300-9800 or chris@christianbayarea.com.
April 2020 3
4 Bay Area Christian Family
Online @ christianbayarea.com
April 2020 DEPARTMENTS
CONTENTS
VOL. 11, NUMBER 10
3 From the Publisher • It’s all about choice 6 Parenting Points • Parental Considerations Amid a Global Crisis 7 Potluck • Lucy’s Grilled BBQ Chicken
ON THE COVER 14 Brian and Kelli Rowley of Growley Leather company shares their story of faith and family that has brought them to Fairhope, adopting two children from China, and the joys of a family run business. See page 14. 8 Mobile and Baldwin Counties Medical Facilities Guide
10 Education Extra • LWCC Kingdom Academy visits state capital 12 Money Matters • Ramsey Solutions
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13 Special Feature • Activities for kids from InfoMark 17 Marriage Points • Strengthening Your Marriage 20 Special Feature • Practicing Wisdom 22 Find A Local Church 22 Ad Directory 23 Wash Your Hands
10
NEXT ISSUE
InfoMark wants to thank the Bay Area Christian Family for being the first magazine in Alabama to spotlight InfoMarks in their publication as well as sharing about the start-up story of InfoMark. We are very grateful for this newspaper publication and wish it the best!
www.infomark.com
Pre-School and Childcare Guide for Mobile and Baldwin Counties
17 April 2020 5
PARENTING POINTS
Coronavirus
Parental Considerations Amid a Global Crisis
The importance of childcare has been an unappreciated issue until schools began closing in the wake of the coronavirus. Parents are suddenly having to make alternate plans for their young children on the fly, often without public resources to lean upon. This strains the average family that requires both parents to work, particularly for those still going to an office or worksite for their job. For many families, the nationwide shutdown has raised as many questions and concerns as it has solutions, so we’re providing information for some of the most urgent questions here. FAQ’s Amid Coronavirus Crisis: 1. SCHOOL CLOSINGS My child’s school is asking me to keep them home, but I have to go to work. What can I do? If your child’s school is closing due to coronavirus and you have no options for childcare, you may have to stay home. For those working remotely, that can be a drain on your attention and productivity. But for those unable to do so, it might require time off from work. Employees can use their allotted sick days per company policy or may be eligible to take leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). As part of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act signed into law on March 18, 2020, the FMLA is amended to offer employees, who have worked for at least 30 days, up to twelve weeks of coronavirus-related leave. The first two weeks would be unpaid but accrued vacation or paid-time-off (PTO) could be used in that time. The ten weeks thereafter are paid at two-thirds an employee’s regular wage up to $200 a day and two weeks of paid sick leave for those not normally afforded those benefits. 2. CHILDCARE Can my employer punish me if I’m forced to stay home and care for my child? Technically an employer can terminate you if you exceed your allotted number of sick and/or leave days under company policy and the FMLA. While the Families First Coronavirus Response Act expands paid sick leave to two weeks and paid family leave to ten weeks at two-thirds pay (after two weeks of unpaid leave), the final version of the bill exempts businesses with less than 50 employees where the business’ viability is threatened and more than 500 employees from providing these benefits, including an exemption for family leave provisions. Those still receiving pay from their employer are also ineligible for the new emergency leave. In light of this, employees should talk with their employer to see if their company qualifies, or if they are planning to offer anything outside what is mandated. Please note that the
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new Families First Coronavirus Response Act will be in effect until December 31, 2020. 3. INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL My loved one is overseas and needs to get back to the U.S. What are airlines required to do to help? At the moment, the U.S. State Department is not formally providing assistance or guidance to return American citizens back into the country beyond the screening and isolation processes in place upon return. However, airlines are continuing to run at least some flights back into the U.S. and are waiving change fees and capping ticket prices in an effort to help Americans abroad get home. 4. COLLEGE STUDENTS My child is a college student and was forced to go home for the remainder of the semester; Will I get a refund? While most colleges are attempting to continue the semester through remote learning, it’s unclear whether students and parents will be refunded the costs of housing and food for the time campuses are closed. At present, some colleges have introduced plans to repay those costs, while others have not yet shared their plans on if refunds will or won’t be coming. Students and families should check with their particular institution. Struggling families need answers in these chaotic times and trying to navigate through new employment and family leave laws can be confusing under the best of circumstances. LegalShield Members can talk with an attorney to address all their legal concerns with personal plans starting at $24.95 a month. - John Wilson L.A.W. Enterprise (251) 656-8540
With the global spread of the novel coronavirus, we all must remain vigilant and attentive. LegalShield recognizes that during times of uncertainty, the need for sound legal help is more important than ever. Additionally, as the need to stay at home increases, more and more people are turning to the internet for work, shopping and entertainment than ever before - amplifying the need to protect your identity as well as your privacy online.
- Do you have the right to be refunded for travel expenses such as hotel deposits or airline fees? - Can college or private school students get a refund for the remainder of the semester if forced to stay home? - What legal documents are needed if you are admitted to the hospital? - Do you have your estate planning documents (Wills, Trusts, Power of Attorney) complete and up-to-date?
- Can you identify coronavirus scams? - Do you know how to identify if a link for a health product is legitimate? - Can you spot phishing email attempts from fake health professionals? - Do you know how to check to see if a charity set up for coronavirus research is authentic?
And as COVID-19 crisis continues, LegalShield’s provider law firms and IDShield’s Licensed Private Investigators remain available and ready to support you with answers to the above questions and help with any personal legal or privacy-related matter you may encounter.
Online @ christianbayarea.com
P OTLUCK
Lucy’s Grilled BBQ Chicken
Ingredients:
GRILLED BBQ CHICKEN: Boneless skinless chicken breasts Kosher salt Black pepper Olive oil cooking spray BBQ SAUCE: 1 teaspoon olive oil 2 tablespoon Finely chopped onion 1 Garlic clove, finely chopped 15 oz tomato sauce
15 oz canned pears, chopped ½ cup honey 3 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoon Apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar 1 pinch cayenne ¼ teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
We work tirelessly to help kids get well because the world needs to see what Natalie dreams up. WE DO WHAT WE DO BECAUSE CHILDREN HAVE DREAMS.
Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Preparation:
For BBQ Sauce: Heat olive oil in a sauce pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the remaining BBQ sauce ingredients. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and purée with immersion blender until smooth. Spray chicken with olive oil spray and season with salt and pepper. Grill over medium high heat for 5-7 minutes on each side. Brush the BBQ sauce on during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
Lucy can be seen regularly on Fox10’s Studio10 cooking show in the morning on weekdays and many of the cooking shows from the broadcast are online at www.greers.com/Lucys-cooking-videos For more of Lucy’s Recipes go to www.greers.com/lucys-recipes.
1 6 0 0 7 T H AV E N U E S O U T H B I R M I N G H A M , A L 35233 (205) 638-9100
ChildrensAL.org
— Chef Lucy Greer Greer’s Market & Catering
April 2020 7
LOCAL MEDICAL FACILITIES
Bay Area Christian Family is excited to share contact information about our local Medical Facilities in Mobile and Baldwin counties. If you have a question about a facility please contact that specific facility.
MOBILE COUNTY AltaPointe Health, Bayview Professional Associates, & Accordia Health AltaPointe Health: AltaPointe Health provides mental health, substance use and intellectual disabilities services in seven counties across Alabama, including Mobile, Baldwin and Washington County. We offer inpatient, outpatient, and residential services for children, adolescents, and adults. To learn more about our programs and a location near you, call AltaPointe Health’s access to care: (251) 450-2211 | (888) 335-3044 or visit AltaPointe.org. Bayview Professional Associates: At Bayview we offer confidential, and solutionfocused counseling for individuals, families and businesses. We offer individual, group, family and marital counseling, as well psychiatric services, medication management, substance abuse services and more. TMS therapy for those with medication-resistant major depressive disorder is also available. BayView’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is available for businesses wanting to contract counseling and therapeutic services to develop and maintain healthy and productive employees and management teams. Services are available in Mobile and Baldwin counties. To make an appointment or for more information, call (251) 660-2360 or visit our website: Bayview.org Accordia Health: Accordia Health provides easy access to high-quality, comprehensive medical care. We coordinate treatment, medications, and any other aspect required to help you and your family maintain health and wellness. Accordia Health is a not-for-profit, Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). We are here to meet your health needs through integrated
8 Bay Area Christian Family
primary and behavioral health care. Accordia Health provides services regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. Discounts are offered on services based on a sliding fee scale depending on your household size and income. Accordia Health is located in south Mobile County. To make an appointment or for more information: (251) 824-8320 or (833) 921-1810 or visit AccordiaHealth.org.
American Family Care Centers
www.afcurgentcare.com Hours: 8am - 6pm Festival Centre Address: 900 Montlimar Dr, Mobile, AL 36609 Phone: 251-250-1403 Saraland Address: 1097 Industrial Pkwy, Saraland, AL 36571 Phone: 251-250-1519 Schillinger Address: 535 Schillinger Rd S suite a, Mobile, AL 36695 Phone: 251-249-8010 Tillman’s Corner Address: 5235 Rangeline Service Rd, Mobile, AL 36619 Phone: 251-220-7281
Children’s Medical Group
www.cmgdoctors.com Hours: 7:15am - 8pm Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm Saturday-Sunday Address: 3920 Airport Blvd, Mobile, AL 36608 Phone: 251-342-3810
Children’s Medical Group
www.cmgdoctors.com Hours: 7:15am - 8pm Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm Saturday-Sunday Address: 3920 Airport Blvd, Mobile, AL 36608 Phone: 251-342-3810
Compass Urgent Care
www.compassurgentcare.com Hours: 8:00am-6:30pm Monday-Friday 8:00am - 4:00pm Saturday - Sunday West Mobile Address: 9985 Airport Phone: 251-633-2273 Providence Address: 6901 Airport Phone: 251-634-2273
Family Health Centers
www.familyhealthalabama.org Dauphin Island Parkway Hours: 7:30am - 6pm Monday-Friday Address: 2601 Dauphin Island Pkwy, Mobile, AL 36605 Phone: 251-445-3450 Downtown Hours: 7:30am - 9:30pm Monday-Friday, Saturday 8am - 12pm Address: 251 N Bayou St, Mobile, AL 36603 Phone: 251-690-8158 Eight Mile Hours: 7:30am - 6pm Monday-Friday Address: 4009 St Stephens Rd, Eight Mile, AL 36613 Phone: 251-456-1399 Semmes Hours: 7:30am - 4:30pm Monday-Friday Address: 3810 Wulff Rd E, Semmes, AL 36575 Phone: 251-445-0582 Southwest Mobile Hours: 7:30am - 6pm Monday-Friday Address: 5580 Inn Rd, Mobile, AL 36619 Phone: 251-666-7413 Women’s Center Hours: 7:30am - 4:30p Monday-Friday Address: 248 Cox St, Mobile, AL 36604 Phone: 251-690-8935
Franklin Primary www.franklinprimary.org Hours: 8am - 5pm Monday - Friday Charles White Family Health Center Address: 990 Cody Rd N, Mobile, AL 36608 Phone: 251-444-1100 West Mobile Family Medical Center Address: 801 S University Blvd d, Mobile, AL 36609 Phone: 251-432-4117 Maysville Medical Center Address: 1956 Duval St, Mobile, AL 36606 Phone: 251-471-3747 Central Plaza Towers Medical Center Address: 302 Bay Shore Ave #1, Mobile, AL 36607 Phone: 251-478-5005 Aiello Buskey Medical Center Address: 424 S Wilson Ave, Prichard, AL 36610 Phone: 251-452-1442 Hadley Medical Center Address: 572 Stanton Rd, Mobile, AL 36617 Phone: 251-444-1000
Online @ christianbayarea.com
Greater Mobile Urgent Care www.greatermobileurgentcare.com Hours: 8am - 7:30pm Monday - Friday 8:00am - 3:30pm Saturday - Sunday Saraland Address: 1114 Shelton Beach Rd, Saraland, AL 36571 Phone: 251-633-0123 (Dial 5) Semmes Address: 7943 Moffett Rd, Semmes, AL 36575 Phone: 251-633-0123 (Dial 2) Springhill Clinic Address: 4402 Old Shell Rd. Mobile, AL 36608 Phone: 251-633-0123 (Dial 3) West Mobile Clinic Address: 2350 Schillinger Road, Suite A Mobile, Al 36695 Phone: 251-633-0123 (Dial 1) Citronelle Address: 19355 N 3rd St., Suite #104 Citronelle, AL 36522 Phone: 251-633-0123 (Dial 4)
Hillcrest Urgent Care
www.hucmobile.com Hours: 8am - 6pm Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm Saturday Address: 2370 Hillcrest Rd, Mobile, AL 36695 Phone: 251-459-6200
Immediate Care of the South
www.medcare-al.com Hours: 8am - 8pm Monday-Saturday, 12pm-6pm Sunday Address: 4270 Cottage Hill Rd, Mobile, AL 36609 Phone: 251-300-2770
Kids Street Urgent Care
www.kidsstreeturgentcare.com Hours: 12pm - 10pm Monday-Friday, 9am-9pm Saturday - Sunday Address: 6280 Grelot Rd Ste 100, Mobile, AL 36609 Phone: 251-288-5606
Main Street Family Care
providers and over a 90 person support staff, we’re proud to make people healthier in our area. With a wide range of services here at MMC, you do not have to travel across town to get blood work or an x-ray done! Along with providing internal medicine, pediatric care, women’s health services, and mental health services, we have two on site labs, OBGYN ultrasound, and x-rays. Our providers are committed to you. Quality health care is our mission here at MMC and our providers embody it as well. We have 17 providers in five different areas of health. Click learn more to meet them! Hours: 8am - 5pm Monday-Friday, Address: 12701 Padgett Switch Road Irvington, AL, 36544 Phone: 251-824-2174
Providence Hospital
www.providencehospital.org Emergency Open 24 Hours/7 Days Address: 610 Providence Park Dr. E. Bldg. 1 Ste. 102, Mobile, AL 36695 Phone: 251-639-5070
Springhill Medical Center
www.afcurgentcare.com Hours: 8am - 6pm Monday-Sunday Address: 6631 Park Dr, Daphne, AL 36526 Phone: 251-255-2523
American Family Care Fairhope
www.afcurgentcare.com Hours: 8am - 6pm Monday-Sunday Address: 10040 Co Rd 48, Fairhope, AL 36532 Phone: 251-220-6780
Eastern Shore Urgent Care
www.esucare.com Hours: 8am - 6pm Monday-Friday, 8am - 3pm Saturday - Sunday Address: 29710 Urgent Care Dr, Daphne, AL 36526 Phone: 251-626-3782
Central Baldwin Immediate Care and Family Practice www.southbaldwinmedicalgroup.com Hours: 8am - 6pm Monday-Friday, 10am - 5pm Saturday Address: 21141 AL-59 #1, Robertsdale, AL 36567 Phone: 251-424-1160
USA Health University Hospital
Immediate Care Foley
www.usahealthsystem.com Emergency Open 24 Hours/7 Days Address: 2451 University Hospital Dr, Mobile, AL 36617 Phone: 251-471-7000
USA Women’s and Children’s Hospital www.usahealthsystem.com Emergency Open 24 Hours/7 Days Address: 1700 Center St, Mobile, AL 36604 Phone: 251-415-1000
Wilmer Medical Clinic
Mostellar Medical Clinic
Women’s Resource Center
Opened in 1978, Mostellar Medical Center has provided quality healthcare to south Mobile County. We offer various services to help better serve our community. With 17
American Family Care Daphne
www.springhillmedicalcenter.com Emergency Open 24 Hours/7 Days Address: 3719 Dauphin St, Mobile, AL 36608 Phone: 251-344-9630
www.mainstreetfamilycare-mobile.com Hours: 12pm - 8pm Monday-Friday, 9am-8pm Saturday - Sunday Address: 6280 Grelot Rd Ste. 200, Mobile, AL 36609 Phone: 251-288-5606 www.mostellarmedical.org
BALDWIN COUNTY
www.wilmermedical.com Hours: 8am - 5pm Monday-Friday Address: 1700 Center St, Mobile, AL 36604 Phone: 251-410-7425 www.wrcmobile.org Hours: 8am - 4pm MondayThursay, Friday 8am - 12pm Address: 308 S Sage Ave, Mobile, AL 36606 Phone: 251-473-4000
www.medcare-al.com Hours: 8am - 8pm Monday-Saturday, 12pm - 6pm Sunday Address: 1265 S McKenzie St, Foley, AL 36535 Phone: 251-923-4633
Robertsdale Urgent Care
www.robertsdaleurgentcare.net Hours: 8am - 5pm Monday-Friday 8am - 12pm Saturday Address: 18557 Hammond St, Robertsdale, AL 36567 Phone: 251-947-3591
Urgent Care by the Bay
www.ucbythebay.com Hours: 8am - 6pm Monday-Friday 8am - 3pm Saturday - Sunday Address: 1208 US-98, Daphne, AL 36526 Phone: 251-626-5377
April 2020 9
EDUCATION EXTRA LWCC Kingdom Academy Students serving as Pages on the State Senate Chamber floor at the Alabama State House Isaiah 8:18 “Here am I, and the children the Lord has given me. We are signs and symbols in Israel from the Lord Almighty, who dwells on Mount Zion.” The Kingdom Academy is now about to enter the Fourth Quarter of 2019-2020! This means it’s time to go full steam ahead. We are ready and postured to reach the finish with higher intensity in teaching, learning, life experiences, and achievements! There’s an urgency to see the next generation arise with purpose and follow up with the intention God has for each, spiritually and academically. As our visionary and founder, Dr. Levy H. Knox, has said, “God doesn’t see you in your current
state, He sees you in your intended state.” We are focused on the intended state in “Training Tomorrow’s Leaders to be Disciples of Christ,” that they may become an influence, impacting generations to come. With this in mind, we have sought out purposeful and
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engaging experiences for our eighth grade class with leadership in mind. This is a special issue of the February 11-13, eighth grade class trip to Montgomery, AL where our eighth grade students proudly served as Pages on the State Senate Chamber floor at the Alabama State House. Our students served among State Senators and the Lieutenant Governor. They had the distinct honor of having dinner with State Senator Vivian Figures being able to ask engaging questions. They sat in on committee meetings where initiatives are created before presented for a bill. They were able to witness real bills being adopted into action and more. They became a part of history being made. This trip has marked our students firsthand with purpose for greatness! While in Montgomery, they visited historical sites. They were favored to be guests of Senator Figures. Among many things, the students were quite impressed to know some of the Senator’s memorable moments such as the passing of
the “Hiawayi Robinson Missing Child Alert” bill as well as the “Smoke Free Air-Act” bill of which she sponsored. Our students toured the state’s Capitol, walking historical grounds, being impacted, and making an impact everywhere they went. They were also honored to visit the Dexter Memorial, the church where the late Dr. Martin Luther King preached and served as
Online @ christianbayarea.com
Pastor. They were given special access to areas which definitely made a statement. Our student represented the Kingdom of God well! They even visited the Equal Justice Initiative offices and went to the Legacy Museum and Memorial. After reading JUST MERCY by Bryan Stevenson, impacted by his work, our students will never be the same!
We want to extend a special thanks to Senator Vivian Figures for making this experience so memorable and for taking such time out of her busy schedule and pouring into our students with invaluable moments! Thank you Mrs. Aja James and Mr. (Coach) Stephan McCord along with all our Teachers, Parents/Guardians, Supporters and Sponsors who helped make this trip possible. We are proud of our Eighth Grade Students and the way they served as true Ambassadors of the Kingdom Academy! “Training Tomorrow’s Leaders to be Disciples of Christ.” Thank you Dr. Levy H. Knox for being such a Visionary to see young leaders arise!
- LWCC Kingdom Academy Pastor Della Knox
April 2020 11
MONEY MATTERS
How to Manage Your Money During a Pandemic I know the world is panicking right now, and you’re probably a little worried. How could you not be? But I’m glad you found this article, because I want to help you weather this storm. You can have peace during this pandemic. I don’t know your specific situation, so let’s start with what you can do based on where you’re at on your money journey. If don’t have an emergency fund If you’re struggling to keep your head above water right now, I feel for you. This kind of thing is why having an emergency fund is so important. It puts a buffer between you and the unexpected stuff. Right now, I want you to stockpile all the cash you can. Now is the time to save, and once this whole crazy situation blows over, you can pick up where you left off on your money goals. If you need some tips on how to find extra cash, I have plenty of advice for you here. If you have an emergency fund, but you also have debt If you’re without work right now, put everything but your minimum payments on pause. You need to focus on covering what I call the Four Walls: food, utilities, shelter and transportation. You can dip into your emergency fund to do that if you need to. That’s why it’s there. The good news is, if you’re paying off your student loans, all interest on federal student loans is currently on pause. The U.S. government announced that for right now, your unpaid federal student loans will not collect interest. Whatever you do, don’t grab a credit card and don’t take out a loan. Trust me, taking on new debt will only make things worse. A bad financial decision in this season can have a lasting impact on your money, and haunt you for years to come. Stay strong. You don’t need debt to get through this. If you have an emergency fund and you’re out of consumer debt If you need to pull from your emergency fund to get by, that’s what it’s there for. Stop for a second, and let that bring you some peace of mind. You’re in a great position, because you’ve gotten out of debt and you’ve put in the hard work to prepare for a storm. If you have investments You’re probably watching the ups and downs of the stock market like a hawk. I get it, but just remember this—ride it out. Don’t pull your investments. The only people who get hurt on a roller coaster are those who jump off in the middle of the ride. Call your investing pro, and let them talk you off the ledge. And whatever you do, don’t cash out your retirement accounts. I want you to know I’m here for you. Ramsey Solutions is here for you, too. You’re going to be okay.
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Dear Dave, My husband and I just completed Baby Step 3, and we have six months of expenses saved for an emergency fund. How should we determine when something is actually an emergency? - Riley Dear Riley, Congratulations on doing the work, being disciplined, and saving like crazy! Now you’ve got peace of mind, and a pile of cash, that will help turn an emergency into nothing more than an inconvenience. There’s no shame in using your emergency fund if you really need to. That’s what it’s there for. Just remember to ask yourself a few questions anytime something pops up to make sure you’ve got a real reason to use it. Is the expense really unexpected? Christmas happens on December 25th every single year. You know your semi-annual car insurance payment is coming, too. Make sure things like this are part of your regular, monthly budgets. Some examples of unexpected expenses might be a job loss or pay cut. Emergency medical expenses and car accident repairs might fall into this category, as well. Is it absolutely necessary? Most people say they know the difference between a want and a need, but that’s not always the case. Replacing your only mode of transportation would be a need. Upgrading to a newer, fancier car is not. If your car goes down for the count, you need transportation. Use your emergency fund to buy something affordable and reliable you can pay cash for. But don’t dip into it just to upgrade your decent car for one with a million bells and whistles. Is it urgent? Practice the art of patience whenever possible. If your home’s air conditioning unit goes out in the middle of summer, that’s probably an urgent fix. But hearing about the “sale of the century” at your favorite retail store? Grabbing the newest, hottest cell phone when yours works just fine? Nope! Your emergency fund is all about long-term security, not instant gratification. Don’t blow it impulsively, but don’t be afraid to use it when it’s really needed. Be wise, and ask those three questions. Check yourself so you don’t wreck yourself—or your budget! — Dave Ramsey
Dave Ramsey is CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored seven best-selling books, including The Total Money Makeover. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 12 million listeners each week on 575 radio stations and multiple digital platforms. Follow Dave on the web at daveramsey.com and on Twitter at @DaveRamsey.
- Rachel Cruze
Online @ christianbayarea.com
SPECIAL FEATURE
InfoMark Offers online fun and educational links for Kids One of the most drastic measures taken to help suppress the rapid spread of COVID-19 is the closure of schools nationwide, which has displaced children across the country. InfoMark, located in Mobile, AL, has positively affected their community by providing online fun, educational links for children, and reputable resources to provide essential health information to adults. Anyone can go to the website, or open the free app, and enter a four-character code called a “Mark” to easily access information without all the clutter of today’s world. As more and more Americans are confined to their homes in an effort to socially distance themselves from others, we are faced with the challenge of finding new and creative ways to keep our children occupied and upto-date on their education. As the world charges full speed ahead into this unprecedented time of uncertainty, we at InfoMark know how important it is to do our part in flattening the curve. We saw a need emerging for quick and easy access to correct information for parents, and safe, educational online entertainment for kids. InfoMark created one Mark, *KIDS, to provide children with direct links to activities and entertainment. No collection of your data, all the websites have been reviewed to ensure the safety of younger audiences, all the information is reputable and upto-date, and it’s free!
8 Different Categories of activities for kids and parents at InfoMark *KIDS
Anyone can go to infomark.com and enter “KIDS” in the search field or follow this direct link: https://infomark.com/search/?KIDS InfoMark is offering time-saving shortcuts to coloring book printouts, DIY crafts to do at home, links to educational podcasts to help with reading and other subjects, lists of online educational games for children broken down by age group, virtual field trips, and live animal cams. We are getting recommendations from real teachers and moms and will add much more in the coming days. All the information can be found at one location through infomark.com. It’s easy, it’’s free, and unlike many social media outlets, no personal data is collected. There’s no signing up. All you do is go to the website infomark.com and enter the”Mark”and the user is presented with useful and specific information. †
April 2020 13
Growley Leather
The Story behind the Bison
God-given purpose, marked with road bumps and extensions of faith.
Kelli Rowley with a Growley Leather tote
Tucked away in sweet Fairhope, Ala is an upstairs bedroom converted into one of the finest custom leather workspaces in the South. The Rowley family comprised of Brian, Kelli, and their four girls Ashlyn (18), Emryn (16), Ivy-Ann (11), Saffy (10), run a business called Growley Leather and make some of the finest leather products around. How did they arrive to be custom leather designers? Their journey is like many others that find their way to their
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Brian and Kelli met at Cedarville University, and not long after school, Brian landed a job at a megachurch in Colorado Springs. Brian shares that it was very production-oriented and was an eye-opener to how different it was from his point of view of vocational ministry at the time. From there, his career would start in sales. First, at Compaq, which was bought out by Hewlett Packard, and then the preverbal climbing of the sales ladder from one company to the next. Brian would share that benefits and pay were great; So great that they were able to travel to Australia on a sales trip along with going all over the country. “The Environment was aggressive, and pressure and anxiety were huge.” Brian shared. On his last drive from the airport to the office, Brian remembers being in a state of sadness saying to God, “This is not
who I am” and would quit that job and go home with no plan but knowing he made the best decision ever.
Fairhope Bound
Kelli’s parents vacationed to Fairhope, Ala, and Brian and Kelli enjoyed it there when vacationing with them and thought it was a great place to raise children. In 2011 they moved to Fairhope. Brian was working with a friend that is now a pastor, doing sales, and loved it. To job allowed them the flexibility to move, but the company would get bought out from a larger corporation, and Brian would be back in the same corporate environment he chose to get away from. In the meantime, Growley Pipes was created. Growley, coming from Brian’s middle initial and last name, shares that he was selling pipes all over the world, “Sheikhs in Dubai were buying pipes.” The client base grew and grew,
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but eventually, the FDA shut down the pipe making categorizing it with tobacco regulations and restrictions, so back to the drawing board, it was for Brian and the family.
the trade-in leatherwork. Richie was a known guy amongst friends that had experience in leatherwork and gave Brian a couple of hours of his time showing him ropes. Afterward, Richie was packing up his stuff, and Brian mentioned that he forgot all his leather equipment. That was when Richie told him to keep it and that he was going to start doing woodwork and won’t need it. “He left all the leather tools and leather, which was worth about $2000,” Brian said. Kelli and Brian knew God was working, and did something they had never done before, asked God for a sign to show them what was next. Not long after that, Richie called and said that he had more leather and equipment in his garage that he would give Brian, and thus they took that as a sign to move forward.
Adoption Story
Saffy (left) and Ivy-Ann (right) pictured
In Houston and a family of four, Brian and Kelli would come across a group that was working with orphans in Sierra Leone. Prayer would begin through their interactions with different orphanages about adopting and soon they would begin to take steps in that direction. Once in Fairhope that prayer became a reality in November 2013 when Ivy-Ann would join the Rowley family. Kelli knew that would not be the end of their adoption story because their prayer was for two girls near the age difference of their older girls. In December 2015, Saffy would join the Rowley family. Both girls are from the country of China in different provinces, but share a lot of commonalities.
Ashlyn (left) and Brian (right) working on leather
Customer Focused
Emryn working on leather stitching
Brian knew he had a knack for artwork and design, and Christmas of 2015, Kelli would buy Brian an unordinary Christmas gift, the domain growleyleather.com. Brian had done a couple of pieces and heard from a friend that someone was making some good money on Esty selling hand made pieces, so he called Richie Fortenberry to show him some tricks of
The Growley Leather domain was purchased in December, and five months later, in May, the leather business was born. “Research was intense. I didn’t even have an Instagram, and I built the entire website,” Kelli said. “We wanted to appear as we had always existed, so we had to come up with product lines, figure out leather, sewing machines, etc.,” Brian said. Growley Leather gets about half of their business online through their website and then half from Esty. Even during the slow times of online sales, they have seen remarkable growth. Brian shares, “God has been amazing and merciful to give us sales every month from a brand new company. In my entire life, I’ve never had to trust God as much as I do now, and I have never grown as much as I have in the last three years because we have had to trust him every step of the way. It has been ridiculously hard, but so good, but I have grown closer to him more than I ever have, and I’ve been a Christian since I was 8.”
When asked the question to share with other business owners about what to do during a crisis like we are currently in, Brian and Kelli gleaned on scripture. Kelli shared she keeps Proverbs 30:8-9 posted in the house and wants to be intentional about loving their customers. They recently created a Buy 1 Give 1 journal sale to help spread hope to loved ones during tough times. Brian shared, “Without these three years of trusting God month after month, I would be lost. We are being led by Him and trusting Him.” Kelli currently homeschools all the children, and the older girls are beginning to have scheduled shifts in the leather shop. Brian shares that one of the greatest joys of life is being able to spend time with his daughters, teaching them the trade, as well as leading them as a father. Brian and Kelli are members of Mars Hill Church, and Brian is an elder at Mars Hill.
April 2020 15
YOUR PEACE OF MIND IS ALWAYS TOP OF OURS.
Call (251) 261-0130 to speak with one of our Life Care Consultants today or visit AboutActs.com/Bay-Area
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MARRIAGE POINTS
Strengthening
your marriage
“. . . let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband” Ephesians 5:33 When you said “I do,” it was likely the fairy tale you dreamed of. However, if you’ve been married for any amount of time, you’ve learned that life happens and things get difficult. From job changes, to parenting issues, to money problems, conflict, and even betrayal, you may have found yourself asking, “How did we end up here?”
have united us and provided discipleship opportunities for our children. As we move to make the world a better place for those who are marginalized, it keeps us in sync as we journey through life. Question to consider: What is something you can do together that advances the Kingdom of God? 4. Find an activity you can enjoy together. We love to travel. We make it a point to have one trip a year as a family and, if possible, one trip as a couple. We recently celebrated our fifteenth wedding anniversary with a special trip, saving for over three years to make it happen. The trip was amazing and something we will remember for a lifetime. But the time leading up to the trip—budgeting, deal hunting, activity planning—was time well spent together. We were investing in us as much as we were investing in the trip. Action to take: Consider taking dance lessons, playing tennis, or taking a cruise! If you have Christ, you have what you need for a great marriage, for your real fairy tale—your happily ever after. Imagine the world we will create and leave for our children if we commit to making our marriages great. - Josh Farmer Senior Sales Director Bay Area Christian Family Church Relations Manager at Compassion International
God designed marriage to be a treasured gift that produces life and enrichment. It’s intended to be a living display of Christ’s love for His church. Many times, it gives us the opportunity to give and receive grace. If we don’t strive to make our marriages great, even the smallest grievances can cripple our relationships. Our churches, communities, and families need strong marriages that are imitating the love of Christ. Here are 4 ways I’ve found to help strengthen your marriage: 1. Love like Christ. Philippians 2:1¬–11 gives us the standard for love through the example of Christ. Jesus gave all of himself, in love for us. When we understand the love given to us in spite of our sinfulness and selfishness, it opens our hearts and eyes to love like Christ loved us— selflessly, unconditionally, and intentionally. We’re reminded in verse three of this passage, “. . . in humility, consider others more important than yourselves.” Later in these verses, we’re encouraged to have the mindset of Christ in our relationships. Question to consider: What do you need to do to consider your spouse better than yourself? 2. Speak your spouse’s love language. Perhaps the most practical, and yet monumental, aspect of our marriage was discovering our love languages. Gary Chapman’s The Five Love Languages helps frame how we give and receive love. We all give and receive love through the five languages but most have two primary love languages that make them feel the most loved. Do you know what your spouse’s is? Do you know yours? We tend to express love in the manner we best receive it. When we neglect to speak our spouse’s language and only speak our own, we are only loving ourselves. Action to take: Discover your love language here at 5lovelanguages.com. 3. Find a bigger purpose you can pursue together. For us, this started through sponsoring a child when we were newlyweds. That sponsorship led to advocacy for children, funding initiatives to rescue children in slavery, supporting an orphanage in Uganda, and ultimately serving children full time in my role at Compassion International. These efforts
April 2020 17
CHRISTIAN LIFE CHURCH FIND US!
5025 COTTAGE HILL RD. MOBILE, AL. 36695
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SPECIAL FEATURE
Practicing Wisdom In light of the recent turn of events in our country we must consider how to maintain our sanity in the light of the hysteria. Not to deny the importance of the situation but rather to consider framing it in light of our Savior Jesus Christ! No question we must be wise and consider safe pre-cautions as we move about our daily life. We must consider limiting the contact for our young children or elder adults. We must maintain a safe six-foot social distancing from others in the case that they might be a carrier or a person infected showing signs. Use universal precautions: hand sanitizer (or better yet soap and water), avoid skin to skin contact, exposure to bodily fluids, etc In all that, we need to consider our mental health. We must realize the seriousness of the pandemic and how the uncertainty of it can effect our lives on a daily basis. I offer five ideas that might help us maintain versus becoming situationally anxious and begin to create a dysfunctional habit in our lives. 1. Consider the amount and kind of “intake we allow� with regards to media stimuli specifically revolving around this pandemic. Without thinking we can allow negativity to influence our thoughts. Phil 4:8 2. Worship God through song - remind ourselves that He is in control and that although it seems scary - God has this! Is 41:10 3. Remember the promise of Ps 91:1-6 - He is our refuge - pray this promise over you and your family. 4. Live in your God given Authority Eph 1:11-12 Have fun - although we are practicing social distance - while at home you should choose to get outside and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine - build family time activities and find ways to celebrate Jesus. - James Chinners, LICSW-PIP Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker Mostellar Medical Clinic
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Call for a Free Assessment What We Do: - Alzheimer’s and 251-445-4204 Dementia Experts! Visit Our Website - Fall Prevention touchingheartsseniorcare.com - Transportation - Meal Preparation - Medication Reminders - Bathing and Dressing - Shopping and Errands - Light Housekeeping - Laundry - Companionship - Case Management - Medicaid and Veteran Benefits Our Location: The Quadrangle Square 3263 Demetropolis Rd Suite 10 Mobile, Al 36693 Follow Us on social media! Search for “Touching Hearts Senior Care” on your favorite platforms or get the links from our Website!
April 2020 21
Find A Church BAPTIST
3 Circle Church Midtown Campus 150 S Sage Ave, Mobile, AL 36606 251-479-4593 Sundays at 10:45 a.m. 3circlechurch.com/midtown 3 Circle Church Fairhope Campus 10274 AL-104, Fairhope, AL 36532 251-990-3112 Sundays at 8:00 a.m., 9:30 a.m., & 11:00 a.m. 3circlechurch.com/fairhope Cottage Hill Baptist Church 4255 Cottage Hill Rd, Mobile, AL 36609 251-660-2422 Sundays at 10:30 a.m. cottagehill.org Dauphin Way Baptist Church 3661 Dauphin St, Mobile, AL 36608 251-342-3456 Sunday School - 9:00 am Worship - 10:30 am www.dwbc.org First Baptist Church Foley 221 N Alston St, Foley, AL 36535 251-943-8352
Sunday School - 9:15 a.m. Worship - 10:30 a.m. fbcfoley.com First Baptist Tillman’s Corner 5660 Three Notch Rd, Mobile, AL 36619 251-661-0114 Sundays at 9:00 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. fbtc.org South Mobile First Baptist Church 10575 Dauphin Island Parkway Theodore, AL 36582 251-973-2322 Redemption Church - North Mobile 1251 Industrial Pkwy, Saraland, AL 36571 251-679-3266 Sundays at 9:30 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. goredemption.com
PENTECOSTAL
Christian Life Church 5025 Cottage Hill Rd, Mobile, AL 36609 251-219-0557 Sundays at 10:00 a.m. Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. clcmobile.church
A BOUT O U R A DVERTI SER S Bay Furniture – 3311 Dauphin Island Pkwy (251) 450-0463, www.bayfurnitureco.com
CC’s Inflatables – 6170 Hwy 90, Theodore, AL, (251) 610-4396, www.rentfromcc.com
Bay Area Christian Family is excited to share we have added a print directory to help our readers learn about churches in our area and find a church home! If your church would like to be included please email chris@christianbayarea.com
LUTHERAN
Our Savior Lutheran Church 5101 Government Blvd Mobile, AL 36692 251-661-4524
METHODIST
Christ United Methodist Church 6101 Grelot Rd, Mobile, AL 36609 251-342-0462 Sundays in Sanctuary at :00 a.m., 9:15 a.m., & 10:40 a.m. Sundays Newsong in Gym at 9:15 a.m., & 10:40 a.m. christunited.com
NON-DENOMINATIONAL
Destiny Church International 28328 Co Rd 13, Daphne, AL 36526 251-239-5751 Sundays at 10:00 a.m. ourdestinychurch.com
Support us by supporting them.
Lisa Granger – Keller Williams Realty, Inc., 1565 Hillcrest Road, Mobile, AL, (251) 454-1170, lisamichelle@kw.com
Palmer’s Toyota Superstore - 470 Schillinger Road South, Mobile, AL, 251-639-0800, www.palmerstoyotasuperstore.com
Greer’s – Locations throughout Mobile and Baldwin Counties, www.greers.com
Touching Hearts Senior Care – 3263 Demetropolis Road, Suite 10, Mobile, AL, (251) 445-4204, www.touchingheartsseniorcare.com
Central Christian School – 17395 Hwy 104, Robertsdale, AL, (251) 947-5043, www.ccssaints.com Hansen Heating & Air – Two locations to best serve you – Mobile, 251-471-3047 and Eastern Shore, 251Children of Alabama - 1-844-750-8950, 210-1493, www.hansenair.com www.childrensal.org/heart. Lighthouse Restaurant - 12495 County Road 23, Christian Counseling Professionals of Mobile, Irvington, AL, 251-824-2500 LLC – 879 Snow Road N, Suite 1C, Mobile, AL, (251) 308-3838, www.ccpmobile.net Living Word Christian Center Kingdom Academy - 1060 Government Blvd. Mobile, AL 36604, 251Government Street Baptist Church/School – 3401 433-5866, lwccim.com/kingdom-academy Government Blvd, Mobile, AL, (251) 660-7444 NuView Counseling – 1120 Hillcrest Road, Suite 2G, Mobile, AL, (251) 401-3560, www.nuviewcounseling.com
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Pathway Church - Moffett Campus 7200 Moffett Rd, Mobile, AL 36618 251-649-8867 Sundays at 9:00 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. pathwaychurch.us
Victory Health - 3750 Professional Parkway Mobile, AL 36609, 251-460-0999 Westminister Village | Acts Retirement Life Communities - 251-261-0130, aboutacts.com/bay-area
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